Treatment device and treatment method

Abstract

Provided are a treatment device and a treatment method capable of easily reusing a used rinsing liquid, and reducing the amount of waste liquid. A treatment device has: a developing portion which is provided with a developing unit which performs development by removing a non-exposed portion of a flexographic printing plate precursor after imagewise exposure using a developer containing a washing solution; a rinsing portion which is provided with a rinsing liquid supply portion which supplies a rinsing liquid containing substantially only water as a component to at least a surface of the flexographic printing plate precursor after development, from which the non-exposed portion of the flexographic printing plate precursor has been removed; a developer storage portion which has a developer storage tank which stores the developer which is used for the development in the developing portion; a first liquid feeding path through which the developer after development is fed to the developer storage tank of the developer storage portion; and a second liquid feeding path different from the first liquid feeding path, through which the rinsing liquid supplied by the rinsing portion is fed to the developer storage tank of the developer storage portion, and the developing portion repeatedly uses the developer stored in the developer storage tank of the developer storage portion to perform the development.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A treatment device comprising:
 a developing portion which is provided with a developing unit which performs development by removing a non-exposed portion of a flexographic printing plate precursor after imagewise exposure using a developer containing a washing solution; 
 a rinsing portion which is provided with a rinsing liquid supply portion which supplies a rinsing liquid containing substantially only water as a component to at least a surface of the flexographic printing plate precursor after development, from which the non-exposed portion of the flexographic printing plate precursor has been removed; 
 a developer storage portion which has a developer storage tank which stores the developer which is used for the development in the developing portion; 
 a first liquid feeding path through which the developer after development is fed to the developer storage tank of the developer storage portion; and 
 a second liquid feeding path different from the first liquid feeding path, through which the rinsing liquid supplied by the rinsing portion is fed to the developer storage tank of the developer storage portion, 
 wherein the developing portion repeatedly uses the developer stored in the developer storage tank of the developer storage portion to perform the development. 
 
     
     
       2. The treatment device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a developer replenishing portion which replenishes the developer storage tank of the developer storage portion with a developer having a higher chelating agent concentration than the developer stored in the developer storage tank of the developer storage portion, as a development replenishing liquid. 
 
     
     
       3. The treatment device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein an amount of the development replenishing liquid with which the developer storage tank is replenished by the developer replenishing portion is determined according to an amount of the rinsing liquid which is fed to the developer storage tank of the developer storage portion. 
 
     
     
       4. The treatment device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein a ratio of an amount of the rinsing liquid which is fed to the developer storage tank of the developer storage portion to an amount of the development replenishing liquid is constant. 
 
     
     
       5. The treatment device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein a total amount of the rinsing liquid which is fed to the developer storage tank of the developer storage portion and the development replenishing liquid is 10 to 30 L/m 2  with respect to an area of the developed flexographic printing plate precursor. 
 
     
     
       6. The treatment device according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a control portion which detects a timing of supply of the rinsing liquid to the flexographic printing plate precursor, and causes the developer replenishing portion to supply the development replenishing liquid to the developer storage tank of the developer storage portion after supply of the rinsing liquid. 
 
     
     
       7. The treatment device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a transport portion which transports the flexographic printing plate precursor, 
 wherein the rinsing portion is provided on a downstream side of the developing portion in a transport direction of the flexographic printing plate precursor. 
 
     
     
       8. A treatment method comprising:
 a developing step of performing development by removing a non-exposed portion of a flexographic printing plate precursor after imagewise exposure using a developer containing a washing solution; and 
 a rinsing step of supplying a rinsing liquid containing substantially only water as a component to at least a surface of the flexographic printing plate precursor after development, from which the non-exposed portion of the flexographic printing plate precursor has been removed, 
 wherein the developer which is used for the development is fed to a developer storage tank which stores the developer via a first liquid feeding path, 
 the rinsing liquid supplied in the rinsing step is fed to the developer storage tank via a second liquid feeding path different from the first liquid feeding path, and 
 in the developing step, the developer stored in the developer storage tank is repeatedly used for the development. 
 
     
     
       9. The treatment method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a step of replenishing the developer storage tank with a developer having a higher chelating agent concentration than the developer stored in the developer storage tank, as a development replenishing liquid. 
 
     
     
       10. The treatment method according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein an amount of the development replenishing liquid with which the developer storage tank is replenished is determined according to an amount of the rinsing liquid. 
 
     
     
       11. The treatment method according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein a ratio of an amount of the rinsing liquid which is fed to the developer storage tank to an amount of the development replenishing liquid is constant. 
 
     
     
       12. The treatment method according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein a total amount of the rinsing liquid which is fed to the developer storage tank and the development replenishing liquid is 10 to 30 L/m 2  with respect to an area of the developed flexographic printing plate precursor. 
 
     
     
       13. The treatment method according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein a timing of supply of the rinsing liquid to the flexographic printing plate precursor is detected, and after the rinsing liquid is supplied, the development replenishing liquid is supplied to the developer storage tank. 
 
     
     
       14. The treatment method according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the flexographic printing plate precursor is transported along a transport path, and the developing step and the rinsing step are performed. 
 
     
     
       15. The treatment device according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a control portion which detects a timing of supply of the rinsing liquid to the flexographic printing plate precursor, and causes the developer replenishing portion to supply the development replenishing liquid to the developer storage tank of the developer storage portion after supply of the rinsing liquid. 
 
     
     
       16. The treatment device according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a transport portion which transports the flexographic printing plate precursor, 
 wherein the rinsing portion is provided on a downstream side of the developing portion in a transport direction of the flexographic printing plate precursor. 
 
     
     
       17. The treatment method according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein a timing of supply of the rinsing liquid to the flexographic printing plate precursor is detected, and after the rinsing liquid is supplied, the development replenishing liquid is supplied to the developer storage tank. 
 
     
     
       18. The treatment method according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the flexographic printing plate precursor is transported along a transport path, and the developing step and the rinsing step are performed. 
 
     
     
       19. The treatment device according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a control portion which detects a timing of supply of the rinsing liquid to the flexographic printing plate precursor, and causes the developer replenishing portion to supply the development replenishing liquid to the developer storage tank of the developer storage portion after supply of the rinsing liquid. 
 
     
     
       20. The treatment device according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a transport portion which transports the flexographic printing plate precursor, 
 wherein the rinsing portion is provided on a downstream side of the developing portion in a transport direction of the flexographic printing plate precursor.